I am waiting for the report on the test flight also. Like you I had a problem with magnetism in the cabin of my 701. It was not the metal itself but residual magnetism from welding. I used a cheap videotape demagnetizer for wiping videotapes clean. The process was called degousing but consisted of wiping the steel v tubes in the window one direction only away from the mount area of the compass, with it removed of course. It solved the problem and corrections consisted only of a few degrees afterward. 15 bucks well spent, now it sits on the shelf.

Degaussing uses an electromagnet (coil and often a core) powered by alternating current. When in the proximity of ferrous metal, the degaussing coil induces magnetic lines of flux first in one polarity and then in the other, alternating typically 60 times a second (60 Hertz).

To use a deguassing coil, one should energize it (plug it in or turn it on) away from the item to be demagnetized. Then approach the item, moving the coil in a circular motion as you "sweep" the item. Direction of circular motion and direction of movement are pretty much irrelevant, just so long as the entire magnetized area is covered. Then, and this is important, you move away from the item slowly (speed is unimportant) and only turn off the coil when you are a few feet a way (distance dictated by the size and strength of the coil). Turning off the electromagnet (coil) when close will leave magnetism in the item.

Pretty simple, actually, not magic at all. Except for those really big coils they used to use to demagnetize ships so they wouldn't trip magnetic mines

I should have added:

With the alternating current and magnetic lines of flux, magnetism is induced into the item, first one polarity and then the other, each direction erasing or cancelling out the other as it remagnetizes the item in each direction. So as you slowly move the coil away, this induced magnetism, in each direction, becomes less and less, finally completely cancelling itself out - - or pretty much so.

Do be careful not to demagnetize things that are supposed to be magnetized. In the typical aircraft cockpit, this might include the compensating magnets in the compass, any speakers, any instruments that are electrically powered and have an analog meter movement (D'arsonval galvonometer) which contain a small magnet, etc. Oh, and mechanical tachs, at least most of them, use a magnetic drive, so stay away from them too. Safe would be to remove such instruments before degaussing.

all the best,

bumper

I am going out tonite for some final tweaking and to put the cowling back on. I'm going to do some more taxiing also. The weather is supposed to be dead calm and cool tomorrow morning. Plans are to get up before daylight so I can be there when the sun comes up and see how everything feels. I'm in no rush and will wait till everything feels right.

No rush, no crowd, no pressure. Just you the plane and your own sweet time. One person around with a camera for posterity to get the last picture for the build album is all I had. Good luck

The first flight since a major rebuild and over 16 years in a barn occurred today for N279AF. There were no surprises other than it's even funner to fly than I imagined. I didn't fly enough to get any hard numbers but looks like it stalls power off in the 30's. The weather was good but I put it back into the hangar as to not piss off the wind gods since they granted probably the nicest morning we've had around here in months. Here's a short video I threw together. Thanks to my wife for filming. Her and my son were the only witnesses for the take off but the sound of a Rotax combined with me yelling at the top of my lungs drew a few others out to watch the landing. The end of this video pretty much sums up how I felt. I'm pretty sure this trumps my first solo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFaE_Uin4OA

Congrats Joey! Great vid! Couldn't have picked a nicer morning for it.

It was great meeting you and seeing your bird yesterday.....We will need to go flying sometime!

Flynengr

Your flight report is outstanding. The last yell sums it up.

Awesome. Congrats.

Did a little tweaking on my plane and I'm going to try to do another test flight tonite if it cools off enough. Goals for the next flight are to find a good stall speed so I can come up with best rate and angle speeds. Going to plan on beating up the pattern for a while too. It's just now sinking in that I can now go out and fly whenever the heck I please. I was a renter for 5 years. Kind of nice knowing some dill weed has not gone out right before you and pranged it in or god knows what else goes on in Rental 172's.

Joey, Loved the yell, say's it all, Sound like you have a great partner.(not the airplane!!)
Congrats
GT

I've now logged 1.7 hours and 8 full stop landings in my bird. We are quickly becoming one. This thing is an absolute all to fly. Stalls at around 30 or so. Very easy to to be to TPA by the departure end of our 4000ft strip. This morning when it was cool I saw 1200fpm sustained. Not to shabby for 65hp burning 3.5 gph.